Burial vault



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I l 1 l l l 1 l l l INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1936. A. GUNDLACH BURIAL VAULT Filed Nov. 5, 1935 Patented Dec.y 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to burial equipment, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved vault.

In the accompanying drawing:

5 Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

illustrating my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the metal lath; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the wooden core of the box and the cover.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, I make use of a wooden core I0 incorporated in the end walls I2, the side walls I4 and the bottom I6. The cover I8 includes a similar core 28. y

Referring to Figure 5, each end wall I2 comprises three boards 22, 24 and 26 arranged in 20 edge to edge relation, nailed to vertical cleats 28.

Similarly, the side walls I4 comprise boards 36, 32 and 34 nailed tothe cleats 28 in the same way as the boards 22, r24 and 26. The bottom I2v is made up of a plurality of boards 36 arranged 25 at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the box. The ends of these boards terminate ilush with the outer faces of the boards 22 and 30 and are nailed thereto. Around the upper edge of the box, I provide reinforcing battens 38 and 40. The upper edges of the battens terminate ilush with the upper edges of the boards 26 and 34. I nail the battens 38 and 40 to the boardsl 26 and 34 and drive long nails through the battens and the boards and into the cleats 28. It will be noted that the boards 38, 32 and 34 extend across the ends of boards 22, 24 and 26, and that the battens 38 extend across the ends of the boards 34. The battens 40 extend across the ends of the battens 38.

In Figure 5, I illustrate the core 20 as being made up of boards 42 secured together in edge to edg relation through the medium of two battens 44 nailed to the boards. The length of the boards 42 is equal to the width of the box between the outer faces of the battens 40.

I nail two small cleats 46 to the two end boards 42, which cleats are arranged at right angles to the battens 44. All the Wood is chemically treated with a suitable Wood preservative to prevent decay and disintegration. After completion of the box and the cover, the two parts are individually enclosed Withinmetal lath 48. This lath is secured to the wood by suitable staples 50. I enclose the battens 44 and the (Cl. 'Y2-7) cleats 46 within the metal lath. A cement shell 52 is applied to the metal lath, which cement passes through the lath and bears against all exposed surfaces of the Wood. I prefer to make the shell 52 about one quarter of an inch in 5 thickness. After the cement 52 is dried, a second cement shell 54 is applied over the shell 52. The shell 54 is White in color and is pressed into the shell 52 before the latter has hardened. After both shells 52 and 54 are dried, a coating 10 of white paint or enamel is applied on all surfaces exposed to view when the cover is placed on the box.

In Figure 5, the boards 26 and the battens 38 are recessed at 56 to accommodate the bat- 15 tens 44.

Referring to Figure 1, the cleats 46 are arranged to provide abutments with respect to the end walls I2, thereby preventing endwise shifting of the cover. Lateral shifting is prevented be'- 0 cause of the battens 44 which lie within the recesses 56. The cover is permanently attached by applying a suitable cement 58 between the upper edges of the box and the cover.

My construction provides a durable wall capable of withstanding heavy pressure. The manner of connecting the boards and the end and side walls in connection with the specific arrangement of the individual boards and the reinforcing cleats and battens increases the strength 30 of the wooden core. The boards in the side and end walls lie within the contour of the boards in the top and bottom. Added strength is given to the top and bottom boards by arranging the pieces at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the box, while the battens 44 perform` a two-fold function in that they prevent lateral shifting of the cover in addition to increasing the strength of the top.

My specific combination of wood and cement 40 provides a light Weight construction and the wood is Well preserved, while the white cement and the venamel enhance the ornamental aspects of the nished unit. The construction is moisture proof and the cement protects the wood 45 from vermin. Y

I have attained good results with a Wooden core 13/16ths of an inch in thickness. I prefer to make each cement shell one quarter of an inch in thickness. 50

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will sc fully explain my invention that others may by applying current knowledge readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. A vault comprising a wooden core, said core being made up of a plurality of boards, reinforcing cleats, means for attaching the boards to said cleats to provide a unitary structure, reinforcing battens attached to the walls of the vault around its upper part, certain of said walls and said battens being provided with recesses, a cover having battens arranged to lie Within said recesses in the closed position of the cover, said vault and said cover being completelyrenclosed Within a concrete shell.

2. A vault comprising a box and a cover, said box being made up of boards arranged in edge to edge relation in a vertical direction, the boards" defining the bottom of the box extending underneath the lower edges of all the walls and transversely of the box, vertical reinforcing cleats nailed to the boards of the walls, reinforcing battens attached to the upper edges of the end walls of the box, said end walls and said battens being provided with aligned recesses, said cover being Vmade up of a plurality of boards arranged in edge to edge relation and extending transversely of the box, a plurality of battens for securing the boards together, said battens lying Within said recesses for preventing lateral shifting of the cover relatively to the box.

3. A vault comprising a box and a cover, said box being made up of boards arranged in edge to edge relation in a vertical direction, the boards dening the bottom of the box extending underneath the lower edges of all the walls and transversely of the box, vertical reinforcing cleats nailed to the boards of the walls, reinforcing battens attached to the upper edges of the end walls of the box, said end walls and said battens being provided with aligned recesses, said cover being made up of a plurality of boards arranged in edge to edge relation and extending transversely of the box, a pluralityof battens for securing the Yboards together, said battens lying within said recesses for preventing lateral shifting of aocasoe the cover relatively to the box, said box and said cover being enclosed within the cement shell.

4. A vault comprising a box and a cover, said box being made up of boards arranged in edge to edge relation in a vertical direction, the boards dening the bottom of the box extending underneath the lower edges of all the walls and transversely of the box, vertical reinforcing cleats nailed to the boards of the walls, reinforcing battens attached to the upper edges of the end walls of the box, said end walls and said battens being provided with aligned recesses, said cover being made up of a plurality of boards arranged in edge to edge relation and extending transversely of the box, a plurality of battens for securing the boards together, said battens lying within said recesses for preventing lateral shifting of the cover relatively to the box, metallic lath attached to the box and the cover, and a plurality of cementitious shells extending over all surfaces of the box and the cover and enclosing said metallic lath.

5. A vault comprising a box and a cover, the side and end walls of the box being made up of a plurality of boards, vertical cleats, means for anchoring the boards to said cleats, the bottom of the box being made up of a plurality of boards arranged at right angles to the sides of the box, the boards of the bottom extending across the lower edges of the lower boards of the side walls and end walls, battens secured to the side and end walls at the upper part of the box, the boards of the side walls extending across the ends of the boards of the end walls, the battens secured to the end walls extending across the ends of some of the boards in the side walls, the battens secured to the side Walls extending across the ends of the battens secured to the end Walls, and means for securing the battens to some of the boards in the side and end walls and said cleats.

ALWIN GUNDLACH. 

